nirāśīr ayajat prabhum

vāsudevaṁ guhāśayam

nārāyaṇam aṇīyāṁsaṁ

nirāśīr ayajat prabhum

Placing in his heart Vāsudeva, the knower of all jīvas, who dwells in the hearts of all, but who is difficult to know, King Yayāti, without desire, worshipped the Lord, his master.

Vāsudeva means “he who dwells everywhere.” Therefore without effort Yayāti could meditate on him. He rests in the hearts of all beings (guhāśayam) but he does not sleep like others, since he knows (ayaṇam) all jīvas (nāra). All the jīvas do not know him. He is difficult to understand (anīyāṁsam). Though externally Yayāti was attached to enjoyment, he was not an enjoyer with his mind. He was without desire (nirāśīḥ). Prabhum indicates that he desired dāsya-bhāva.

|| 9.18.51 ||

evaṁ varṣa-sahasrāṇi

manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhair manaḥ-sukham

vidadhāno 'pi nātṛpyat

sārva-bhaumaḥ kad-indriyaiḥ

Although Mahārāja Yayāti, king of the entire world, engaged his mind and five senses in material happiness for one thousand years, he was unable to be satisfied.

The senses are called sinful senses, since they are lusty for material enjoyment.

 

Thus ends the commentary on the Eighteenth Chapter of the Ninth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.

 

Chapter Nineteen

Yayāti Gives up His Youth

|| 9.19.1 ||

śrī-śuka uvāca

sa ittham ācaran kāmān

straiṇo 'pahnavam ātmanaḥ

buddhvā priyāyai nirviṇṇo

gāthām etām agāyata

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Yayāti, enjoying in this way and attached to woman, then considered he had been cheated, and, becoming disgusted, narrated the following story to his beloved wife.

In the Nineteenth Chapter, King Yayāti compares himself to a goat, becomes detached and attains Kṛṣṇa. His wife absorbs her mind in Kṛṣṇa and gives up her body. Kāmān ācaran means “he enjoyed.” Apahnavam means “he was cheated.”

|| 9.19.2 ||